Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy, the doctor on the starship Enterprise from the classic Star Trek television series, put it very bluntly: “Space is sickness and danger, shrouded in darkness and silence.” Traveling to space is not a walk, it is an expedition, with all the inconveniences and risks that this implies . So it is worth reviewing what health problems we face from the moment of takeoff:
After 10 seconds: loss of consciousness
Well we start. To leave the Earth you have to reach 4g . This acceleration propels blood to the feet and leaves the brain partially depleted, causing us to lose consciousness .
After 10 minutes: nausea
One of the things astronauts fear most is nausea and vomiting. The lack of gravity affects the inner ear , where our spatial orientation sensor resides, causing dizziness and, of course, vomiting .
After 2 days: a plump face
The body tends to propel fluids to the upper part of the body , counteracting the effect of gravity that propels them to our feet. In space, the organism continues to function as if we were on Earth, but this time there is no force of gravity to oppose it, which makes our face swell . And not only that, but we can end up having vision problems: changes in the retina, in the shape of the eye and an increase in intracranial pressure .
After one week: loss of muscle and bone mass
This is one of the most important problems and what demonstrates the difficulty of dealing with the problems of a prolonged stay in space: after decades of research, we are no closer to solving it than at the beginning. ISS astronauts must do two and a half hours of exercise daily to reduce the inevitable deterioration and on their return they must carry out a strict program for three months. The absence of gravity causes the bone to dissolve literally 1-2% per month. Some calculate that on a trip to Mars astronauts would lose 50% of their muscle mass.
After two weeks: sleep deprivation
With a sunrise every 90 minutes , astronauts on the International Space Station must adjust to artificial hours of night. It is equipped with individual sleeping compartments, which can be darkened to simulate night, and new LED lighting systems are being tested to reduce the unnatural light present in the station. And this is another problem: who can live long periods of time with artificial light? How to combat the longing for sunlight?
After a year: diseases
Evidence is mounting that space travel causes a drop in the immune system , leaving astronauts more susceptible to health problems. This, without taking into account the effect of cosmic radiation: there are more and more indications that the amount of radiation that an astronaut could receive on a long-duration trip , such as to Mars, is much greater than previously thought. .
After two years: depression
In what psychological conditions will astronauts be who have been forced to live and share a tiny space, eating unappetizing food, and with almost no room for privacy?
